High-voltage switch



Dec. 31, 1929. w HUTTINGER 1,742,077

HIGH VOLTAGE SWI TCH Filed Aug. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l u N 1\ l "I Dec. 31, 1929. w. R. Hl JTTINGER 1,742,077.

HIGH VOLTAGE SWITCH Filed Aug. 12, 1927 25heets-Sheei 2 40 a a [is increased so as to cause large over-tulflkfl Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oiiErcE WILLIAM R. nu'r'rmenn, or PH LADELPHIA, rnnnsvnvanm HIGH-vow Application filed August 1 My invention relates to switches, such, for example, as are set forth in my (so-pending appllcations, Serial Nos. 7 22,281 and 689,256,

filed June 25, 1924, and Jan. 29, 1924, respec-' tively,and it has for one object the provi-' sion' of a high-voltage switch that shall be characterized by its ruggedness of construction, by its relatively light weight, and by .its particular applicability to high-tension 10 linles, having voltages exceeding 220,000

vo ts.

Another object of my invention is to provide means, whereby such disalignment as occurs between a movable switch arm and a c0- operating switch member may be eliminated during the closing operation. Such disalignment may be caused by the swaying of the switch arm under heavy wind loads, by the strain of the high-tension wire, by the settling of the switch towers, and by other undesirable operating conditions. i I

Another object of my invention is to provide a high-tension switch, wherein the movable switch ai'm is locked to the co-actin switch member so long as the switch is close and particularly while a movable contact portion of the switch arm is being actuated into engagement with .the co-acting switch member. Such locking means is desirable in high"-v tension switches by reason of the relativelylarge dimensions of the movable switch 'arm" and the supporting insulator stacks. For ex'- ample, the switch arm may be between ten and fourteen feet -in length and the insulator stacks between five and eight feet inheig'hth-i In such switches, while a relatively small; force is required to cause the engagemento the movable contact portion and the c'o acti switch member, this force, when multipli moments in the supporting insulator sta for said switch arm. The interlocking ofjth movable switch armand the co-acting swito member during the closure operation rend negligible these over-turning moments v assures a rigid switch construction. Me

over, the locking of the switch parts their closed position tends to prevent the opening of the switch due to the above-noted by the lever arm of the movable switch armyv m p a Fig. 515 a detail vertical sectional view of AGEVSWITCH 2, 1927. Serial No. 212,467.

undesirableload and operating conditions; Should separation of the switch parts occur under such circumstances,then not only would the switch be destroyed. but the resulting surges on the high-tension line-would cause considerable damage to connectedielectrical apparatus.

Astill further object of my invention is to provide such guiding and locking means for the relatively movable contact'members of a high-tension switch, that the presence of ice and sleet does not interfere with-the operation of the same. Such means is also designed to prevent the freezing together'of the coactin'gparts thereof when the switch is in its closed position; I v

A still further object of my invention is to provide a switch comprising relatively movable contact members, an actuating insulator, and connecting means extending between said actuating insulator and one of the contact 7 members including worm-and-wheel mecha-' nism, the actuatin insulators being so posi-' tioned as to be sub3ecte'd to tension when-the switch is being opened.

Other objects and applications of my invention, as well as details of"construction and operation, whereby my invention maybe practiced, will be apparent more fully here- 7 I plan views, respectively, of a high-tension 3 switch embodying my invention "Fig, 3is an enlarged detail longitudinal sec 1 tionatviewof the co-operating contact porions and their housings, the sectional plane "being taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. '4; 1

Fig;- 4 is-a horizontal sectional view taken onlthe lined-4 of Fig. '3; and y i the :interlocking housing portions, the secfi 1."-}Pla118jbelng taken on the. linep of a transmission" line tower r (not Q ,jprov idesa rigid supportforaced,

parallel stacks of insulators2and 3. [sup porting bracket 4 is mounted 'on'the upper Regarringito the drawing,fa horizontally 'tion'ed lam 1, which may be supported 1 end of the vertical insulator stack 2 and it is provided with a substantially horizontal supporting surface 5. A stationary contact member or element 6, for purposes of illustration, has been shown as comprising a standard portion 7 and an inclined downwardly extending bifurcated end rtion 8 forming spaced, spring contact bla es 9 and 1 1. 1 The portions 7 and 8 of the stationary con-. tact member 6 may be protected from sleet and snow by means of a housing 12 which is mounted on the surface of the su porting bracket 4. The housing 12 is provi ed with openings 13 and 14, the opening 13 being disosed in a side 15 facing the insulator stack and the opening 14 belng in a base portion 16. A stationar contact member 17 extends through an opening 18 in aside 19 of the housing 12, co-operating with a movable element 21 of a disconnecting switch 22. The portion of the stationary contact member 17 projectin beyond the housing 12 may. be pro tected by a hood 23. The stationary contact member 7 is also connected to a flange 24 affording a mounting for a terminal connection 25 of usual design.

The spring contact blades 9 and 11 of the stationary switch 6 are adapted to co-act with a movable contact portion 26 of a switch blade or arm 27, a main body portion 28 of which is mounted to move in a vertical plane on a pivot pin 29 carried by a bracket 31 positioned on the upper end of the upright insulator stack 3, as willappear hereinafter in greater detail.

The main body portion 28 of the switch arm 27 referabl comprises longitudinally exten ing tubu ar members 32, 33 and 34 which are disposed in the form of a triangle converging at one end in a common member 35 carrying a housing 36 for the movable contact ortion 26. At the other end of the triangular construction, spaced lugs 37 and 38 respectively are provided which are secured to the tubular members 32 and 33. These lugs are perforated to receive the pivot pin 29. The tubular member 34 is secured to a strap member 39 which is provided with a central 0 ning or slot 41 extending between spaced ahl itments or shoulders 42 and 43, for reasons as will presently appear. The strap member 39 and the lugs 37 may comprise one single casting. A terminal connection of usual design is providedfor the movable-switch arm In accordance with my invention, the housing 36, which is mounted on one end of the main body portion 28, is provided with a pivot pin 45' having bearings 46 and 47 disperfect b means of a flexible cable 48 extending rom a hub portion 49 of the movable contact portion 26 to a cable support 51 on the main body portion 28. The lower portion of the housing 36 is removed to provide an opening 52 through which the pivoted contact portion 26 may ass as it is actuated into engagement with t e spring blades 9 and 11 of the stationary contact member 6. Figs. 1, 3 and 4 illustrate in solid-line the movable contact portion 26 in its extended position wherein the switch 1 is closed, while Fig. 1 shows in dot-and-dash line the retarded position in which the pivoted portion 26 is contained within its protective housing 36 and the switch is open.

In the practical construction and operation of my high-Volta e switch, considerable difiicult was had in c osing the same by reason of t e disalignment of the switch arm 27 and the stationary contact member 6. The disalignment is caused by the swaying of the switch armwhich may be, say, twelve feet in length, under heavy wind loads; by reason of unbalanced strains in connected high-tom.

sion wires; or by the settling of the switch towers (not shown). This difliculty is overcome in my invention b the provision of an abutment 53 that exten s upwardly from an upper side 54 of the housing 12, said abut ment terminating in a rounded end portion 55 which co-acts with a flange portion 56 of conical form mounted on an upper outer edge 57 of the housing 36. The flange portion 56 comprising an angled side wall portion 58 anda curved base portion 59 adapted to receive the complementary end portion 55 of the abutment 53, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5.

When the switch is being closed, should the pivoted contact portion 26 of the switch blade 27 be out of alignment with the coacting spring blades 9 and 11, the movement of the abutment end portion 55 over the wall portion 58 of the conical flange 56 causes the disalignment to decrease, being finally reduced to zero when the end portion 55 seats in the socket or base portion 59 of the flange 56. Thus the outer free end of the switch blade 27 is supported by the mounting of one protective housing on the other. Theportion 60 of the housing 12 which includes the abutment 53, is so depressed that the rounded end portion 55 does not extend substantially above the remaining portion of the upper side 54 of the housing 12. Such disposition assures that'the upper end 55 of the abutment 53 is well within or below the flux field. Since the overhanging flange portion 56surrounds the abutment 53, danger of these co-acting parts freezing together is very greatly eliminated.

It is also noted that the co-acting portions 53 and 56 ofthe housings 12 and 36 serve in addition as portions which are effective not onlyf-when the contact por- '6 Jtion' 26 is being actuated into engagement with'the spring-contactffin era 9 and 11 but" also thereafterg 'Whi e a relatively smallv 'force is required to actuate the movable contact portion 26, this force of the switch 1." L'One advantage, therefore;

of causing the upper ends of the insulator stacks 2 and 3 to be interlocked whilethecontact portion 26 is being actuatedis that "*lngjas screwcaring.

the large over-turning moments thus de- "veloped in theinsulator'stacks are counters",

balanced. Another advantage ofcausing the; upper ends of the insulator stacks 2 and 3 to .be tied to ether so long as the switch'l is closed is t at it very greatl decreases the danger of the separation'of t e switch members 6 and 27 due .to' the settling of the switch towers (notshown) and the like. Shouldsuch' separatlon occur, the resulting sur es onl'the high-tension line '3 connected 'vto t eswitch terminals 25 and 44 would cause considerable damage to connected electrical apparatus and the probable destruction of the switch 1. Myinventioh further. contemplates the actuation of the main body portion 28 and the relativel movable contact portion 26 of the 7 switch b ade 27 by meansof a third upright -P insulator stack 61 which {may be mounted; on the beam 1 inthe same plane as the nsulator stacks 2 and'3 and parallel thereto.

The position of the insulator stack 61 issuch that the stationary insulator stack 3 situated between the actuating insulator stack 61 and the remaining stationary insulator stack 2. Such relative arrangement of parts permits the insulator stack 61 to be subjected to. tension strains, while opening. the Switch 1,

as will presently appear-in greater detail. I 7 A lower end of the actuating insulator 1 stack 61 may be. mounted on an anti-friction". thrust bearing 62 carried by the supporting .beam 1, and it is provided with a shaft which extends through the beam 1 and terminates mounted on a shaft-65 extending to adjacent units (not shown), and it is operated by a bevel gear-wheel 66 carried by a main oper-- ating shaft 67. :The upper end of theactuating insulator'stack-fil is provided with' aavertically extending shaft portion 68" journaled in an anti-friction bearing 69 carried by arms 71 and .72 constituting integral ex! tensions of the'bracket 31.

In view of he large dimensions of sulator stack 61,.I'have provided a special connecting means 73 between the actuating insulator 61 and the switch arm 27, so that 'a, bevel gear-wheel .63. The bevel gear wheel 63 meshes with a bevel gear wheel 64 the tortional strain in the insulator stack 61 ma jat no'timereach a dangerous value with or 'naryaccumulations of 1081-01. snow presentJ-YTdthis 6nd,. the insulator stack 61 is operatively associated with the main body portion 28 and the pivoted contact portion 26 of the switch blade 27 bymechanism which is so designed that said switch parts move only a relatively small amount in response too. large movement of the actuating insulatorstack 61.. That is to say, the mechanism or means 73 .is designed so that the mechanical advantage of the actuating insulator stack 61 is very large. One such form'of mechanism is illustrated in the drawhis so-cal ed screw-jack connection 7 8 between the insulator stack 61 and the switch arm 27 involves the use of a worm 74, which is mounted onthe upper end of the shaft 68, hand a worm-wheel 75 which has been illus trated as a quadrant pivotally mountedon the portion of the pivot pin 29 intermediate pivot pin 45.

The dimensions of the slot 41 are such that the pivoted contact portion 26 may be actuated clear of the co-operating spring contact fingers 9 and 11 into the protective housing 36' prior to the engagement of the quad rant arm 81 with the end abutment 42. It is also noted that the point of engagement of the abutment 42 on the arm 81 is spaced from the pivot pin 29 sufficient to afford the desired-leverage on the movable switch arm 27. Asshown in the drawing, the worm 7 4 has arelatively flat pitch, so that the worm-andwh el 73 may be non-reversing under the action of the switch blade 27. This non-reversing or non-overhauling characteristic is articularly important, since the switch lade 27 is locked in any desired elevated position, regardless of whether or not .power is sppplied to the actuating insulating stack 61. en the switch 1 is in the closed position shown in solid-line'in the drawing, the pivoted contact portion 26 is, in engagement with the stationary contact element 6 and the switch-arm housing 36 is supported on the stationary housing 12, the co-acting portions .55 and 56 'establishingan interlocking connection therebetween. Also, the quadrantarm 81 is positioned intermediate the abutments 42 and 43. If the insulator 61 is now. turned, the quadrant 7'5 and arm 81 thereof causes the pivoted contact portion 26, as well as the main body portion 28, to be moved in a vertical plane about the pin 29 as a ivot. Such movement may be continued until the switch blade 27 has been actuated a desired distance from the stationary contact member 6, one such position being shown in dot-anddash lines in Fig. 2. It is noted that during this opening movement, the insulator stack 61 is subjected to tension strains inasmuch as the effect of the worm 74 is to pull the switch arm 27 about the. ivot pin 29. Hence, the load on the thrust caring 62 is reduced to a minimum when the switch is being opened.

When it is desired to close the switch 1, the direction of rotation of the insulator stack 61 is reversed, whereupon the movable switch arm 27, by reason of its weight, follows the upwardly moving quadrant arm 81. Should there be a tendency for the switch arm 27 to remain in. its raised position, the arm 81 is merely actuated into engagement with the shoulder or abutment 43, forcibly actuating said switcharm 27 downwardly. Experience hasshown that once the switch arm 27 has started to move downwardly, the weight thereof is suflicient to cause the same to follow the upwardly moving quadrant arm 81.

The lowering of the switch arm 27 is continued until the housing 36 rests on the housing 12, any disalignment occurring between the switch arm 27 and the switch member 6 being eliminated during the final portion of the downward movement by the engagement of the abutment 53 with the conical flange 56. When these co-acting portions finally seat, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, not only the switch arm 27 and the stationary contact member 6 are rigidly interlocked but also the adjacent upper ends of the insulator stacks 2 and 3.

The continued movement of the actuating insulator 61 following the interlocking of the housings 12 and 36 causes the arm 81 to be actuated clear of the shoulder42, permitting the quadrant to move independently of the switch arm 27. During this movement, by reason of the linkage 83 and 84, the pivoted contact portion 26 is actuated from its protective housing 36 through the opening52 thereof and also through the openings 13 and 14 of the housing 12 into engagement with the spring-contact blades 9 and 11 of the stationary contact member 6, thereby completing the final closing operation of the switoh'. At this moment, the-operation of the insulator stack 61 is automatically discontinued in the usual manner. When the switch 1 is to be again opened, the foregoing procedure is repeated. I

While I have shown only one embodiment of my invention,for the purpose of describing the. same and illustrating its principles of construction and operation, it is apparent that various changes andmodificaltions may be made therein, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon, as are indicated in the appended claims or as are demanded prior art.

-I claim:

1. A switch comprising relatively movby the able switch members, one of said switch .members being provided with a housing portion, a housing for the other switch member, means for establishing an interlocking relation between said housing and housing portion when said switch members are in preetermined positions, and an actuating insulator subjected to tension strains when said switch is being opened.-

2. A movable contact member provided with a housing. a cooperating contact memher provided with a housing, said housings being so disposed that one engages the other when said switch members occupy desired relative positions, the engaging portions of said housings, interlocking, and means tor raising said first-mentioned housing, said means including an actuating insulator subject to tension strains due to said housing movement.

3. The combination with a movable switch member provided with a housing, of a cooperating switch member also provided with a housing positioned to engage said first mentioned housing when said switch members occupy predetermined positions, the engaging portions of said housings constituting guiding and interlocking means, and means for separating said housings including an actuating insulator provided with a bearing, the load on said bearing being a minimum upon a separating'movement of the housings. I

4. A switch comprising relatively movable contact members, of which one is provided with a housing and a contact portion movable in said housing, a housing for the other contact member, and actuating means for at least one of said contact members including worln-and-wheel mechamsm, v and an actuating insulator provided with a bearing, whereby said switch may be closed, said housings having co-acting portions constituting guiding means, the load on said bearing being a minimum upon the opening of said switch.

5. A switch comprising a pair of relatively movable contactmembers, of which one is provided with a housing and a portion movable in said housing, a housing for the other contact member, said housings having cooperating portions constituting guiding means when the switch is being closed, at least one of said co-operating portions being disposed within the flux field, and an actuating insulator subject to tension loads when said switch is being opened. I

6. A switch comprising relatively movable switch members, one member being provided with amovable contact portion, housings for one of said switch members .and said movable contact portion, respectively, said housings having co-acting portions constituting guiding means, means for actuating'at least one of said switch members including selfloclcing gearing, and an insulator, said insulator having a bearing subject to minimum loads when said switch is being opened.

7. A switch comprising relatively movable switch members, one member being provided with a movable contact portion, housings for one of said switch members and said movable contact portion, respectively, means carried by at least one of said housings adapted to serve as guiding means for at least one of said switch members, and means for actuating at least one of said switch members including screw gearing, and an actuating insulator, said actuating means permitting a predetermined lost-motion, said insulator being provided with a bearing subject to minimum loads when said switch is being opened.

8. A switch comprising relatively movable switch members, of which one is provided with a movable contact portion, supporting insulator stacks for said switch members, respectively, housings for one of said switch members and said movable contact portion, respectively, screw-jack means for actuating at least one of said switch vmembers, said housings having co-operating portions constituting guiding means, said co-operating portions being so formed that one serves as a protective hood, and an actuating insulator for said screw-jack means positioned on the side of one of said insulator stacks opposite to the adjacent sides of said insulator stacks.

9. A switch comprising a plurality of insulators, relatively movable switch elements, means for actuating one of said switch elements comprising a worm-and-wheel, said worm being mounted on one insulator and said wheel being mounted on another insulator, and means for establishing an interlocking relation between said switch elements, the insulator supporting said worm being sub'ected to tension loads when said switch is eing opened.

WILLIAM R. HUTTINGER. 

